Wrench



r. E. .WALDEN.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY WRENCH.

23. 1921. RENEWED MAR. 18. I922.

Patented 001:.24, 19221 Frederick E. Zd'en;

Patented (3st. 24, 1922.

means if 511E.

FREDERICK E. WALDEN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

WRENCH.

Application filed May 23, 1921, Serial No. 471,593. Renewed March 18, 1922. Serial No. 544,971.

To all who/1i it may concern:

Be it :nown that I, Fnneninok E. \VALnnN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of .Vorcester and onnnonwealth of Wassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVrenchos. of which the following is a full, clear and exact specification.

The. object of this invention is the construction of a wrench which shall be adjustable not only in the spread of its jaws, but in the angles which the jaws can. be made to hold relative .to the handle.

In the accomplishment of the latter purpose, the stationary member of the two jaws is provided with means for pivotally connecting the same to the handle, and a locking device for retaining the handle at any desired, angle allowed thereby.

In the drawings forming part of the specification, Fig. 1 is a side view of a wrench embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is asection through 2-2 in Fig. 1.. Fig. 3 is an under view of parts of the wrench. Fig. 4- shows another form thereof.

The stationary jaw 1 of the wrench is formed with a substantially sei'i'ii-circular head 2 whose diametrical surface is formed with teeth 3 and grooves 4t, the latter slidably receiving a movable jaw 5 which is retained at any desired point of adjustment by a. threaded member 6 rotatably carried by the aw 5 and engaging the teeth 3. By

turning the member 6, the movable jaw is adjusted toward and from the jaw 1, an extension 7 permitting a wider spacing of the jaws.

In the head 2 and concentric therewith is a groove 9 in each side thereof, slidably engaged by lips 10 of the handle-socket 11, so that the latter can turn about the center of the head 2 and groove 9 as its center of rotation. This socket 11 carries a handle which is preferably composed of wire rod. bent over upon itself to form two parallel spaced arms 13, one of which has its end bent down at right angles to provide a pivot 1e rotatable. in the socket 11. The end of the other arm is curved about the pivot 14 to partially enclose it, but not entirely, as explained below. In the periphery of the head 2 are a series of notches 15 fitted to receive the partially enclosing member or hook 16, the engagement of the latter with any one of the notches 15 serving to retain the head 2 and consequently the jaws 1, 5 at adesired angle of adjustment.

By turning the handle upon the pivot 1 -2 as a center, until the portion of the latter not enclosed by the hook 16 is adjacent the periphery of the head 2, the socket 11 and the head can be freely'shifted to the relative angle desired.

The arms 13 being made to press strongly toward each other, the friction grip thus given to the socket 11 keeps the handle and wrench head from swinging too freely upon the pivot 14:; but if it is desired to have the parts rigidly held against such displacement, a cross piece 19 terminally attached ,to the arms 13 and a set screw 20 are pro vided. The screw being set firmly against the surface of the socket, the parts are suitably held.

In the manufacture of this wrench, the parts 1, 2, 5 and 6 are made of steel, as well as the arms 18, but the socket 11 is preferably made from malleable iron to permit its being pressed together into engagementwith the grooves 9.

By thus formin the wrench, its jaws can be presented parallel with the handle, as

shown in Fig. 1, or at right angles thereto, or

at angles of 22-1,", 45 or 67-1 or at any other angles for which the wrench may be constructed. This is a great convenience, especially in auto-repair work where the anechanic is obliged so often to reach in for the removal of a nut or bolt where there is but slight room for swinging the wrench handle.

As illustrated inFig. 4;, the socket member 11 need not be pivotally connected to the head 2 by means of the grooves 9 alone, but the latter may be dispensed with and the socket member attached to the head by a true pivot 21 passing through said parts. This is less expensive to make, although not quite so strong as the arrangements first described.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A wrench comprising a head and awe, a socket member pivotally attached to the head to present itself at a variety of angles relative to the jaws, a handle pivotally attached to the socket member, the axis of this pivot being in a plane at right angles to the axis of the first mentioned pivot, and means whereby a swing of the handle on the second named pivot to a certain angle will lock the socket member and head against relative motion, but a swing to another angle will unlock the same.

9. A. wrench comprising a head and jaws,

a socket member pivotally attached to the head to present itself at a v riety of angles relative to the jaws, and a handle pivotally attached to the socket member, on an axis lying in a plane at right angles to the axis of the first-mentioned pivot, the head having a semi-circular peripheral portion and notches therein, and the handle having a portion to move'into engagement with any one of the notches'when swung to a certain angle on the second mentioned pivot and to be out of such engagement at another angle. a

3. A wrench comprising a head and jaws, a socket member pivotally attached to the head to presentitself at a variety of angles relative to the awe, and a handle consisting of two spaced parallel-arms pivoted to the socket member on an axis in a plane at right angles to the plane of the pivotal axis of the socket member and head, the head having a notched semi-circular portion concentric with the last-mentioned axis, and one of said arms being adapted to engage said notches for locking the head and socket member against relative movement.

i. A wrench comprising a head and jaws, a socket member pivotally attached to the head to present itself at a variety of angles relative to the jaws. and a handle consisting of a length of metal rod bent over upon. itself to compose two paced parallel arms, the end of one of the arms being bent at right angles thereto and adapted to penctrate the socket member, the end of the other arm being curved partially about the projecting pivot-end, and the head having a notched semi-circular portion concentric with the pivotal axis of the socket member and head adapted to be engaged by said curved end.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of May, 1921.

FREDERICK E. VVALDEN. 

